?Tom will not run for Herb Kohl?s seat,? said Patrick Guarasci, an adviser to Barrett?s mayoral campaign. ?He?s taking his name off the table.? ?Barrett is currently running for a third term as mayor of Milwaukee, with city elections scheduled for April 2012. He lost a bid for governor last year to Republican Scott Walker.
This also lets Barrett keep the door open for a rematch against Walker in 2014? or possibly sooner, if there's a recall election. That could be a great battle.
Several more names are still circulating as possibilities. Former GOP Rep. Mark Neumann sounds quite interested:
?I am still seriously considering a U.S. Senate candidacy and listening to what the people of Wisconsin hope to see from their next Senator," Neumann said. "It is clear that people are deeply concerned about the reckless spending and out-of-control deficits that are only getting worse in Washington. The question becomes who is best prepared to deal with this growing problem.?
Former Dem Rep. Steve Kagen, who lost last fall to roofing contractor Reid Ribble, might also want the job:
A source close to former Rep. Steve Kagen (D) says the ex-Congressman is considering running for the suddenly open Wisconsin Senate seat in 2012. ?The source pointed out a handful of qualifications that could make Kagen a serious contender for the seat long held by Sen. Herb Kohl, who announced Friday he would not seek re-election. His attributes, according to the source, include being a doctor, two election wins in what is largely considered a swing district, his folksy manner and his ability to self-fund.
And then there's businessman Tim Sullivan, who seems to be pulling something of a Colin Powell (or Dwight Eisenhower):
Wisconsin businessman Tim Sullivan is leaving his options open for a Senate run, including which party banner he?d run under. ??I am flattered by the unsolicited support I have received over the past few days by those suggesting I consider running for the Senate seat being vacated by Senator Kohl,? Sullivan said in a statement in response to a Roll Call inquiry. ?At this point, I am committed to our shareholders and employees in closing the sale of Bucyrus International.?
Roll Call's Nathan Gonzales says that other media reports suggest Sullivan is likely a Republican, but he apparently has good relations with Democratic elected officials.
Here's one more Democratic possibility:
Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk also is exploring running for the Senate, said Melissa Mulliken, one of Falk's longtime political advisers. A Democrat, Falk ran for governor in 2002 and attorney general in 2006; she has a reputation as a prolific fundraiser.
Meanwhile, Republican Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald is waiting to decide ? and says he plans to avoid any fraternal battle:
Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) said he wouldn't seek to run against his brother, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl. Both brothers have said they have an interest in the seat. ?Fitzgerald said he wouldn't make any decision on whether he gets into the race until after the Legislature passes the 2011-'13 budget bill next month.
His brother Scott said the same thing about a timetable:
Like his brother, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said Tuesday he wouldn't make up his mind about running for the U.S. Senate until after the Legislature passes the state budget this summer.
Of course, Scott Fitzgerald's caucus is threatened by the prospect of recalls, and I think he'd take a ton of crap if he abandoned his chamber in the midst of the process, so the budget vote is sort of a convenient excuse. Anyhow, I'm sure we'll continue to see a lot of churn in the coming weeks and months as more people continue to weigh in and bow out.
(Our first "who's who" post can be found here.)
This diary is brought to you by Daily Kos Elections, an official Daily Kos sub-site. Please read our Mission Statement. Our focus is on electoral politics rather than policy. Welcome aboard!
Source: http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/pIrfkO7MZVQ/-WI-Sen:-Whos-who-in-the-zoo,-part-2
political poll senators of georgia senate schedule senate email addresses
No comments:
Post a Comment